Food For the Poor (FFP) last week presented Adam Stewart with the Ambassador for the Poor Award for his efforts to help impoverished and disadvantaged communities in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean through the many philanthropic initiatives of Sandals Foundation .

Stewart, deputy chairman and chief executive officer of Sandals Resorts International, and president of the Sandals Foundation, said he was honoured to receive the award as philanthropy was very important to Sandals.

“The work of the Sandals Foundation is very dear to me. Giving back is something that has been very important to our company, even before the creation of the foundation, but to be able to have a formal organisation devoted to improving the lives of our Caribbean people is something we are tremendously proud of. The foundation has had an undeniable impact since its launch and we look forward to doing so much more across the Caribbean,” Stewart, who is also deputy chairman and CEO of the Jamaica Observer said after receiving the award at FFP's 23rd Annual Building Hope Gala at the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida on February 3.

“I'm very honoured and proud to receive this award,” he added.

Since the creation of the foundation 2009, Sandals Resorts' philanthropic arm, Stewart has spearheaded its mission to improve the lives of Caribbean people through sustainable programmes focused on education, environment and community development. Recent charitable efforts by the foundation include building new classrooms at Seville Golden Pre-School in St Ann, donating more than 1,100 desks and chairs to several other schools across Jamaica, and helping to rebuild the Caribbean islands damaged by last year's hurricanes through a variety of disaster relief initiatives.

Guests at the ceremony were invited to join in creating a legacy of compassion by pledging to build homes for the people of Boen, Haiti, where 90 per cent of the residents survive on less than US$1 per day.

The event was hosted by Paige Kornblue, former anchor at NBC-affiliated WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida, and included a silent auction with proceeds going to charity.